West Virginia voters deciding on $1.6 billion road bond proposal
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) – Voters are going to the polls across West Virginia for a referendum on issuing $1.6 billion in state bonds to repair and build roads and bridges.
The state has listed more than 600 projects, saying they’d get done in the next few years.
The Republican-controlled Legislature this year approved taxes and fees to support bond repayments, which Gov. Jim Justice signed into law.
They raised the variable minimum wholesale gas tax by 3.5 cents a gallon, increased the vehicle sales tax from 5 percent to 6 percent and hiked the motor vehicle registration fee from $30 to $50.
The West Virginia Republican Party Executive Committee opposed the bonding, saying it would commit the state to 25 years of interest payments.
Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.